Battery counterweighted elevator

Abstract

The battery counterweighted elevator is adapted for rack and pinion or cable traction elevators. The elevator uses electrical power from a solar cell array to charge or recharge storage batteries, which, in turn, provide the electrical power to drive the elevator. The storage batteries serve as counterweights for at least a substantial portion of the weight of the elevator car, and travel up and down opposite the car. A traveling cable connects the elevator car with the batteries in the counterweight in the case of the rack and pinion elevator, with the cable providing power to the drive motor situated with the car and also providing control of the system from the car. The cable traction elevator has a traveling control cable extending to a fixed junction box, with power supplied from the batteries to the junction box and thence to the fixed motor at the top of the hoistway.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A battery counterweighted elevator, comprising:
 an elevator hoistway having an upper end and a lower end opposite the upper end;   an elevator car disposed along the hoistway, the elevator car being adapted to travel up and down along the hoistway;   at least one elevator drive motor selectively providing motive force to the elevator car;   a counterweight connected to the elevator car, the counterweight traveling up and down in a direction opposite the elevator car;   at least one electric storage battery disposed within the counterweight, the battery forming at least a substantial portion of the weight of the counterweight; and   a traveling power cable extending from the counterweight, the power cable communicating electrically with and providing electrical power to the elevator drive motor.   
     
     
         2 . The battery counterweighted elevator according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the elevator hoistway includes a rack extending from the lower end of the hoistway to the upper end of the hoistway;   the elevator drive motor is disposed with the elevator car, the elevator drive motor drives a pinion engaged with the rack of the elevator hoistway;   the traveling power cable extends between the counterweight and the elevator car and the elevator drive motor of the elevator car;   a traveling control and communications cable is disposed with the traveling power cable;   an electrical junction box is affixed to the elevator hoistway; and   a traveling battery charger power and communications cable extends between the junction box and the counterweight.   
     
     
         3 . The battery counterweighted elevator according to  claim 2 , wherein the elevator car further includes an overspeed safety brake and speed governor system disposed therewith. 
     
     
         4 . The battery counterweighted elevator according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the hoistway includes a pulley and sheave assembly disposed at the upper end thereof;   the elevator drive motor is disposed with and selectively drives the pulley and sheave assembly;   a traction cable extends upwardly from the elevator car, through the pulley and sheave assembly, and downwardly to the counterweight;   an electrical junction box is affixed to the elevator hoistway;   a traveling elevator control and communications cable extends between the elevator car and the junction box;   a traveling battery charger power and communications cable extends between the counterweight and the junction box; and   a stationary power cable extends from the junction box to the drive motor.   
     
     
         5 . The battery counterweighted elevator according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 an electrical junction box is affixed to the elevator hoistway, the junction box communicating electrically with the electric storage battery of the counterweight and selectively providing electrical power from the electric storage battery to the elevator drive motor; and   a solar cell array is electrically connected to the junction box and provides electrical power to the electric storage battery of the counterweight through the junction box.   
     
     
         6 . The battery counterweighted elevator according to  claim 5 , wherein an electrical supply grid is electrically connected to the junction box, the electrical supply grid supplying electrical power to the junction box as required. 
     
     
         7 . The battery counterweighted elevator according to  claim 1 , wherein the counterweight further includes a battery charger therewith. 
     
     
         8 . The battery counterweighted elevator according to  claim 1 , further including a regenerative braking system. 
     
     
         9 . A battery counterweighted elevator, comprising:
 an elevator hoistway having an upper end and a lower end opposite the upper end;   a rack extending from the lower end of the hoistway to the upper end of the hoistway;   an elevator car disposed along the hoistway, the elevator car being adapted to travel up and down along the hoistway;   an elevator drive motor disposed on the elevator car, the elevator drive motor having a pinion engaging the rack to raise and lower the elevator car;   a counterweight connected to the elevator car, the counterweight traveling up and down in a direction opposite the elevator car;   at least one electric storage battery disposed within the counterweight, the battery forming at least a substantial portion of the weight of the counterweight;   a traveling power cable extending between the counterweight and the elevator drive motor on the elevator car, the power cable communicating electrically with and providing electrical power to the elevator drive motor;   an electrical junction box affixed to the elevator hoistway, the junction box communicating electrically with the electric storage battery of the counterweight and selectively providing electrical power from the electric storage battery to the elevator drive motor; and   a traveling battery charger power and communications cable extending between the junction box and the counterweight.   
     
     
         10 . The battery counterweighted elevator according to  claim 9 , wherein the elevator car further includes an overspeed safety brake and speed governor system disposed therewith. 
     
     
         11 . The battery counterweighted elevator according to  claim 9 , wherein a solar cell array is electrically connected to the junction box and provides electrical power to the electric storage battery of the counterweight through the junction box. 
     
     
         12 . The battery counterweighted elevator according to  claim 11 , wherein an electrical supply grid is electrically connected to the junction box, the electrical supply grid supplying electrical power to the junction box as required. 
     
     
         13 . The battery counterweighted elevator according to  claim 9 , wherein the counterweight further includes a battery charger therewith. 
     
     
         14 . The battery counterweighted elevator according to  claim 9 , further including a regenerative braking system. 
     
     
         15 . A battery counterweighted elevator, comprising:
 an elevator hoistway having an upper end and a lower end opposite the upper end;   a pulley and sheave assembly disposed at the upper end of the hoistway;   an elevator drive motor connected to and selectively driving the pulley and sheave assembly;   an elevator car disposed along the hoistway, the elevator car being adapted to travel up and down along the hoistway;   a counterweight connected to the elevator car, the counterweight traveling up and down in a direction opposite to the elevator car;   a traction cable extending up from the elevator car, through the pulley and sheave assembly, and down to the counterweight;   at least one electric storage battery disposed within the counterweight, the battery forming at least a substantial portion of the weight of the counterweight;   an electrical junction box affixed to the elevator hoistway; and   a power cable electrically connected between the battery and the elevator drive motor.   
     
     
         16 . The battery counterweighted elevator according to  claim 15 , wherein a solar cell array is electrically connected to the junction box and provides electrical power to the electric storage battery of the counterweight through the junction box. 
     
     
         17 . The battery counterweighted elevator according to  claim 16 , wherein an electrical supply grid is electrically connected to the junction box, the electrical supply grid supplying electrical power to the junction box as required. 
     
     
         18 . The battery counterweighted elevator according to  claim 15 , wherein the counterweight further includes a battery charger therewith. 
     
     
         19 . The battery counterweighted elevator according to  claim 15 , further including a regenerative braking system.